Review: Just like Ronseal does exactly what it says on the tin, The Original 4 Skins serves up a compilation of every known studio recording from the original line up of homegrown oi! punk legends The 4 Skins. Boasting a whopping 19 tracks including an alternative version of 'A.C.A.B.' originally intended to be included on the Oi! The Album compilation, as well contributions to other quintessential Oi! collections Strength Thru Oi! and Carry On Oi!, this gatefold pressing is limited to 1000 copies and arrives complete with lyrics, press clippings from the era plus previously unpublished photos of the band. An essential grab for any Doc Marten sporting skinhead with more Fred Perrys in their closet than your mother has handbags.
Review: Hailing from London's East End, there's few Oi-punk outfits who were as quintessential or authentic as The 4-Skins. While only releasing a small handful of albums with their definitive 80s line up, this live/demo/unreleased cuts compilation offers an aural fly-on-the-wall experience of being confronted with their signature brand of seething anti-authoritarian, anti-police brutality, anti-fascist, football loving, skinhead sporting, Doc Marten stomping punk in real time. Packed with cuts pulled from radio sessions, Bumper sessions, demos and even two tracks from a previously unreleased 7" 45, including the ska-punk-inflected 'Seems To Me'; offering a more subdued side to the OG Skins than most long-time fans would be accustomed to.
Review: While depending on the season, the band's activity status can be active or in the midst of another self-imposed hiatus, Chicago melodic hardcore mob 88 Fingers Louie continue to still be held in majorly high esteem for their seminal contributions to the cause. While originally formed in 1993, the band have been retrospectively discovered by later generations of fans due to the inclusion of guitarist Dan Wleklinski and bassist Joe Principe (both of whom would later form Rise Against). 1998 would see the arrival of their much anticipated follow up to 1995's debut full-length Behind Bars, in the form of scene classic Back On The Streets. Remastered and reissued by original label-home Hopeless, who have ballooned in popularity due to the rise of the hardcore and punk movements in recent decades, this sophomore LP delivers the band's frenetic, complex yet melodious approach to hardcore, while carefully restoring but never defanging the original master tapes.
Review: Formed in Chicago in 1993, 88 Fingers Louie are/were (depending on what their current hiatus status is) a melodic hardcore outfit best known for being the early project of guitarist Dan Wleklinski and bassist Joe Principe, who would later depart to form Rise Against (with Principe continuing to remain a prominent member). Following a slew of early 7" singles, 1995 saw the arrival of the band's debut full-length Behind Bars, landing courtesy of Hopeless Records, who continue to care for their classic back catalogue with an astute attention to detail (unlike many other label owners who seemingly continue to hoard and ignore the bevvy of out-of-print titles they could easily repress with a bit of gumption). Remastered in 2019 by Mr. Precision himself (the producer alias of Wleklinski who has since returned to his original group for reunion shows), this latest pressing boasts these updated masters which highlight the band's often overlooked compositional intricacies while evading the common pitfall of removing too much of the initial primitive dank that endeared so many a listener almost three decades prior.
Review: Originally formed in 1976 and often described as "one of the longest-lived groups of the punk era", London's own 999 are punk rock royalty who have the type of loyal fanbase that were either there to see their classic debut single 'I'm Alive' land them a deal with United Artists around the same time as their peers in Buzzcocks, or astute historians who've studied all of their past accomplishments (and unfair inconsideration) in retrospect. Whichever side of the number you land on, both generational fanbases often intersect at the release of the criminally underrated Death In Soho. Originally released in 2007, almost a full decade on from 1997's Takeover, while it'd be another 13 years until the 2020 follow up Bish! Bash! Bosh!, this latter day output showcases the seasoned veterans playing for themselves and for keeps, combining aged bitterness with classic punk rock sensibilities but with an admittedly warmer sense of production value. Don't let the age-old attitude that legacy punk bands don't deliver late-stage LPs worth of value fool you, Death In Soho is one of 999's best. Yes, we said it.
Review: Widely considered to be "one of the longest-lived groups of the punk era", homegrown Londonites 999 first formed in 1976, before instantly garnering a devout following by way of persistent performances and nonstop gigging. Signing to United Artists (along with their peers in Buzzcocks) thanks to the instantaneous power of their debut single 'I'm Alive', the next two years would see the release of their seminal 1977 self-titled debut full-length along with the excellent Separates LP in 1978, before landing at the iconic Old Waldorf (long since closed down and now a refurbished comedy club) for this fateful night turned newly unearthed live album. Emergency At The Old Waldorf 1979 grants a time travelling, voyeuristic earful of the punk heroes in their snarling prime, ripping through a collection of their most highly revered stompers such as 'Hit Me', 'Homicide', and obviously, 'Emergency', while the pressing arrives complete with previously unseen tour photos plus retrospective liner notes from frontman Nick Cash.
Review: Described as "one of the longest-lived groups of the punk era", London's own 999 originally formed in 1976, quickly developing a cult following through incessant gigging before landing a recording deal with United Artists around the same time as Buzzcocks off the strength of their debut single 'I'm Alive'. Fast forward through two seminal punk classics with their 1977 self-titled debut LP followed in 1978 with the phenomenal Separates, and we land at the iconic Old Waldorf (long shutdown and now a comedy club) for this recently unearthed live album. Emergency At The Old Waldorf 1979 offers a fly on the wall earful of the legendary punk act at the height of their prowess, tearing through some of their best known bangers including 'Hit Me', 'Homicide', and of course, 'Emergency', while this translucent ruby red vinyl edition comes complete with never before seen tour photos as well as liner notes penned by frontman Nick Cash.
Review: Raw post-punk trio Abdomen trade in the heavier end of the genre unafraid to douse distortion and fuzz onto everything and create music so exciting it would be hard not to want to throw yourself into a circle put for, 'Damage Tool' is a breathtaking way to get things started and 'Numbers' makes Fontaines DC sound like Boyzone. They are capable of slowing down - 'Dazed' has been slowed into a hypnotic Spacemen 3-esque psych/shoegaze jam. The band are relative newcomers and not widely known... yet. But this is going to be one of those albums you'll be kicking yourself for not having a first pressing of. Abdomen is only going to get bigger and it will give the Tapetown studio in Aarhus, Denmark - where they recorded this - more bragging rights for being among the coolest alternative music spaces in Europe.
Review: Action Pact were a punk rock band from Stanwell, an isolated village right under the flight-path of London Heathrow Airport, inspiring this compilation album's title. Consisting of two formerly unreleased John Peel sessions as well as a David Jensen session - totalling 16 tracks - this retrospective charts the band's history, from their formation in 1981 by guitarist Wild Planet, bassist and lyricist Dr. Phibes and the then 15-year-old drummer Joe Fungus and singer George Cheex, still school-kids when their Heathrow Touchdown EP was released in October 1981. BBC DJ John Peel played the single many times and booked them for the first session to appear here, recorded in February 1982. The second Peel session was recorded and broadcast in 1982 and a David Jensen BBC session in 83.
Review: The discovery and subsequent release of The Adverts' Rehearsal Tape is a punk rock revelation. Dating back to 1977, this cassette recording, initially overlooked by Chiswick Records, finally sees the light of day thanks to Henry Rollins' keen ears and determination. As pioneers of the UK punk scene, The Adverts' influence looms large, with their singles and debut album cementing their status as classics of the genre. Rehearsal Tape offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the band's early days, capturing their energy and spirit in its purest form. Transferred and mastered with care, the tracks on this release sound incredible, retaining their original rawness while benefiting from modern production techniques. For fans of punk history, this vinyl release is a treasure trove, featuring The Adverts at their raw, unbridled best.
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